Robert Ferguson (’85): General Motors vice president of Government Relations

February 3, 2010

General Motors has realigned its Government Relations Team, naming Evangel University graduate Robert E. Ferguson (’85) as vice president of Government Relations.

Ferguson joined GM on January 1, 2010, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience in the private and government sectors, including a number of senior-level positions in legislative and government relations, management, marketing and communications technology.

In 1991 Evangel awarded Ferguson with its Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.

“Attending Evangel was a wonderful experience for me,” says Ferguson, who majored in Communication. “I met my wife, Debra, made many good friends and received an excellent education. The professors in the Communications Department were especially meaningful to me. They took a personal interest in helping me, for which I am especially grateful.”

Ferguson says the impression that Evangel President Robert Spence made on him as a student has impacted him as a business professional. “I often think of how President Spence handled issues while I was attending Evangel and apply lessons learned from him to business challenges.”

Prior to joining GM, Ferguson was a senior strategist at Public Strategies, Inc. As a senior strategist, Ferguson provided counsel to corporations and other organizations, with a focus on international business, technology and public policy.

Prior to his role at Public Strategies, Ferguson served as the president of state legislative and regulatory affairs at AT&T, a position he held between 2005 and 2008. In that role Ferguson was responsible for overseeing external and regulatory matters in the United States and managing the company’s public policy organization.

From 2002 to 2005 Ferguson served as group president and CEO of SBC’s Enterprise Business Services where he was responsible for sales and customer care for SBC’s enterprise and federal government accounts and the corporation’s long distance, Internet and data communication companies. Prior positions at SBC included president of Business Communications Services for SBC operations in the western United States, president for SBC federal relations in Washington, D.C., regional president for SBC in Southern California, and managing director for regulatory policy.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Edward E. Whitacre, Jr., said in a press release that Ferguson is a “proven professional who has worked in an environment of intense regulatory and political complexity. He has my deep trust and respect.”

About Evangel

Evangel is an accredited, liberal arts university with more than 100 academic programs on the cutting edge of today's professional fields. Our commitment to the integration of faith, learning and life attracts students from a wide variety of Christian denominational backgrounds who have a strong commitment to academics with a desire to combine their Christian faith with every aspect of their lives.